Welcome to the third entry in May’s Medium Mod Contest. One Medium Mod will be published in every Email Alert in May. At the end of the month, we’ll hold a reader vote to determine May’s winner. Click here for information about the 2021 Mod Contest, including how to enter.
Charles Coushaine, Punta Gorda, Florida
Long Term Storage Supports
2001 Ford F-350
2012 Chalet DS116RB
Once you unload your truck camper off the truck, it’s left to be supported by four jack legs. Camper jacks usually allow quite a bit of sideways movement. This just doesn’t feel safe for long-term storage, or long-term use.
My goal was to come up with a height-adjustable rock-solid system that supports the camper from the underside like a truck bed does. I also wanted to take the stress off the jack legs and create a solution that was stable enough to allow you to live in the camper indefinitely and is easily stored away after use.
I researched many other support systems ranging from X-shaped plywood to cement blocks to sawhorses. They all lacked my ultimate goal of height adjustability and ease of storage after use.
I then found some tall, height-adjustable, fully welded pyramid-shaped jack stands capable of supporting 10-tons a set! I purchased three sets of these jacks and cut some 4-inch by 6-inch beams to fit the top yoke of the jack stands.
I placed the beams on the jack stands spaced along the 8-foot camper bed about 4-feet apart to support my camper’s 5,000-pound dry and empty weight. I then lowered the camper until the jack stands supported the entire weight with the jack legs off the ground. To add an additional level of safety, I then lowered the jack legs until they just touched the floor.
In the video, I explain how I looked over all the previous long-term storage support systems and came up with one that not only provides rock-solid support but also allows for easy storage!
After putting the jack stands under the camper, I asked my wife for her unbiased opinion if the camper was indeed more stable and suitable for long-term storage, or even living in.
Upon entering and trying to shake the camper, she felt immediately at ease with the stability such that she started to dance, and said we could even disco in here now!
That’s a high endorsement!
It took me eight hours to complete this modification and cost me $700. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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